Bike Won't Start...Only Makes Wheezing Sound!

jafran456

Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
59
Location
Jenks, OK
Bike
2017 BMW R1200GSA
Hi All,

Not sure if this post is in the right forum. If not, I'm sure it'll find its way into the right one. Perhaps there should be a "Bike Won't Start" forum here :)

Regardless, my '08 ST won't start. It doesn't sound like the engine is cranking when I hit the ignition switch. It just makes a constant wheezing noise, kinda like an old timer who's smoked a pack a day his entire life. I hadn't started the bike in a couple of weeks. Been really hot here, raining a lot too, and I've been doing some work related travel. There was nothing wrong with it before and it's never given me any trouble. I just haven't ridden it that much this summer.

Any suggestions before I have it towed to the STealer? Thanks in advance for any feedback.
 
Not trying to be smart but could attach an audio file. It might help to narrow it down.
 
maybe some water condensate. try a bit of seafoam with some new gas added if room...

don't forget... if it's flooded, hold open the trottle and just crank.
 
Sounds similar to a problem I experienced recently. Turns out my fuel rail wasn't being pressurized. Here's what fixed it for me, hope this helps.


It seems I had a problem with fuel system pressurization even though the fuel system start-up process seemed to be working correctly. To get it started I simply cycled the ignition from on to off with the key 10 times then tried to start it. Instantly I noticed it was cranking much faster than it had been. First 1 cylinder fired but not any others so I gave it about 1/4 throttle and another cylinder fired so I gave it a little more throttle and bam, she started running!

I let it run until the engine temp showed 3 bars then shut it down. I waited a few minutes and started it again and it started normally and ran smoothly. I am so happy!!


Alan
 
When you say it won't crank, I am taking that to mean the engine is not being turned over by the starter..

If so, the noise you hear may be the starter spinning but not engaging the starter solenoid to the flywheel .

Charge your battery and see if that fixes it .
 
I just installed a new battery today. I killed the old battery trying to start the bike. The new battery was fully charged. I left it on the trickle charger overnight. I'll try some of the recommendations above tomorrow after work. It might just be flooded.

V8-7....you're correct. The engine doesn't sound like it's turning over (like it normally does) when I hit the ignition switch. It just makes a loud wheezing/squeeling noise. Don't know how else to describe it.
 
If it's flooded , it can sound different due to the gas on the cylinder walls causing a loss of compression and the engine will spin faster and have a higher pitched whine than normal ..

a video would be a big help.

You could try holding the throttle fully open and crank away (with breaks in between cranking ).
 
jafran456 said:
V8-7....you're correct. The engine doesn't sound like it's turning over (like it normally does) when I hit the ignition switch. It just makes a loud wheezing/squeeling noise. Don't know how else to describe it.
Click to expand...

Although I have never heard of this happening before on the ST's, that description sounds like a starter spinning but not engaging.
 
ALANT said:
Sounds similar to a problem I experienced recently. Turns out my fuel rail wasn't being pressurized. Here's what fixed it for me, hope this helps.


It seems I had a problem with fuel system pressurization even though the fuel system start-up process seemed to be working correctly. To get it started I simply cycled the ignition from on to off with the key 10 times then tried to start it. Instantly I noticed it was cranking much faster than it had been. First 1 cylinder fired but not any others so I gave it about 1/4 throttle and another cylinder fired so I gave it a little more throttle and bam, she started running!
Click to expand...


:plus1:

I find it hard to believe that the starter motor clutch would simply give up the ghost while sitting idle for a few weeks whereas there have been several reports over the years of bikes becoming hard to start after sitting for awhile. I would cycle the fuel system several times like Alan describes above and give it a go...
 
And as a side question.... you haven't run on high levels of ethanol in your gas the last few times running??

There have been past problems of the valves sticking slightly open after running same and then letting the bike sit.
 
I've tried all the recommendations that have been provided and it still won't start. I have not ran any high ethanol fuel in the bike. A buddy of mine looked at it this morning and he thinks the starter motor has gone bad. He says it sounds like the starter motor is turning but the engine is not cranking over. That was my initial observation too just from the sound it was making. It didn't sound like it normally does. Could I have killed the starter motor (and the old battery) from trying to start it so much? I may move forward with swapping out the starter motor to see if that solves my problem. He thinks the charging system is fine, by the way.

It may take a couple of days before I can locate a starter motor. I'm guessing the dealership isn't going to have one in stock. They never have anything in stock.
 
I don't think you did anything to hurt the bike.

Try one more thing...

Put the bike in gear and try to push it a bit so as to change ( rotate ) the flywheel position .
 
There could be a tooth missing on the flywheel and the start gear is just spinning.Or the starter gear is not fully extending and rubbing on the side of the flywheel. I would try pushing it in gear too maybe even bump starting it and running it for a while just so you feel like it's not a lost cause.
 
An audio clip would be useful and may save you some time and money.
 
jafran456 said:
It just makes a constant wheezing noise, kinda like an old timer who's smoked a pack a day his entire life.
Click to expand...
By your description, this sounds as if the starter motor is turning the engine over, and the engine is not firing properly, resulting in a non running ST1300. If this event has not been preceded by any tinkering with the engine, fuel system, or the electrics, then I would look to the fuel rail being under pressurized, just as Mr. Alant has suggested:

ALANT said:
Sounds similar to a problem I experienced recently. Turns out my fuel rail wasn't being pressurized.
Click to expand...
The first time my ST1300 would not start, complete with the wheezing (nice analogy), I drained the battery trying to get it started, as well as trying to push start it down my drive. The result was a non starting motorcycle, at the bottom of the drive, with a dead battery, and me late for work. Interestingly by the time I ran an extension cord, allowed the battery to recharge, and attempted to restart the engine, the engine started as if the events of the previous two hours had never occurred.

The second time the engine refused to start, I stopped the attempt and allowed the motorcycle to sit undisturbed for an hour while I Googled the phenomenon of non starting fuel injected engines. I read something regarding fuel injected engines and low fuel pressure on the fuel rail, possibly as a result of:
Length of time since last run.
Leak down of the fuel rail.
Other unknown events.​

With this in mind I went out to start the engine, I allowed the fuel pump to run for the few seconds it always does when the ignition is first turned on, then I cycled the kill switch (right-hand switch cluster), which caused the fuel pump to again run for a few seconds. I cycled the kill switch probably a dozen times before attempting to start the engine, with the result of the engine starting up in the usual manner.

I now make it a habit to pressurize the fuel rail (cycle the kill switch) anytime the engine does not 'catch' on start-up as usual, or if I think the motorcycle has not been run recently. Since I've established this routine, the engine has started reliably every time.
 
Anna'sDad said:
By your description, this sounds as if the starter motor is turning the engine over, and the engine is not firing properly, resulting in a non running ST1300. If this event has not been preceded by any tinkering with the engine, fuel system, or the electrics, then I would look to the fuel rail being under pressurized, just as Mr. Alant has suggested:

The first time my ST1300 would not start, complete with the wheezing (nice analogy), I drained the battery trying to get it started, as well as trying to push start it down my drive. The result was a non starting motorcycle, at the bottom of the drive, with a dead battery, and me late for work. Interestingly by the time I ran an extension cord, allowed the battery to recharge, and attempted to restart the engine, the engine started as if the events of the previous two hours had never occurred.

The second time the engine refused to start, I stopped the attempt and allowed the motorcycle to sit undisturbed for an hour while I Googled the phenomenon of non starting fuel injected engines. I read something regarding fuel injected engines and low fuel pressure on the fuel rail, possibly as a result of:
Length of time since last run.
Leak down of the fuel rail.
Other unknown events.​

With this in mind I went out to start the engine, I allowed the fuel pump to run for the few seconds it always does when the ignition is first turned on, then I cycled the kill switch (right-hand switch cluster), which caused the fuel pump to again run for a few seconds. I cycled the kill switch probably a dozen times before attempting to start the engine, with the result of the engine starting up in the usual manner.

I now make it a habit to pressurize the fuel rail (cycle the kill switch) anytime the engine does not 'catch' on start-up as usual, or if I think the motorcycle has not been run recently. Since I've established this routine, the engine has started reliably every time.
Click to expand...

Interesting and a great post, thanks for sharing!
 
The manual said it could be a faulty starter clutch. I actually could not find the starter clutch in the manual, so I don't know for sure how it functions. Some bikes will spin the starter clutch and centrifugal force causes contact to turn the engine. Oil that is too thick, combined with cold weather can prevent proper operation. Instead, a whirling or moaning noise will be heard without the engine cranking. I know this isn't much help, but maybe something to investigate. See page 11-21 for the starter clutch diagram (at least that is where it is in my manual)
 
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Here's a couple of 30-second clips of my bike not starting. Same sequence on both, only the placement of the camera is different (Part 1 - camera is up high, Part 2 - camera is down low by the engine).

[video=youtube;Wu--hKioIF4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu--hKioIF4[/video]

[video=youtube;Fi6iPYWqcEk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi6iPYWqcEk[/video]

Hope I attached the videos correctly.
 
jafran456 said:
I've tried all the recommendations that have been provided and it still won't start. I have not ran any high ethanol fuel in the bike. A buddy of mine looked at it this morning and he thinks the starter motor has gone bad. He says it sounds like the starter motor is turning but the engine is not cranking over. That was my initial observation too just from the sound it was making. It didn't sound like it normally does. Could I have killed the starter motor (and the old battery) from trying to start it so much? I may move forward with swapping out the starter motor to see if that solves my problem. He thinks the charging system is fine, by the way.

It may take a couple of days before I can locate a starter motor. I'm guessing the dealership isn't going to have one in stock. They never have anything in stock.
Click to expand...
There are always a jillion starter motors on eBay. New, used, reman. If that is what it is then it is the first time I've heard of one going bad on the the ST1300. That would be a small consolation.
 
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